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As many have stated on here through the years...thankfully that keeps the pipeline of used boats moving...the bad news is were are more subject to what is coming in at the new end of the pipeline...even if we don't like that style that is popular.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BandB

Now we recognize all the arguments for buying used and acknowledge they all are very logical and make sense. We just choose not to. As to keeping the pipeline going, rest assured when we do sell they will be in excellent condition.

Given Scott's comment about the pipeline... and whether we might like the styles available, down the pike somewhere...

How about I put in an order with you? I'll pick a boat, you buy it and use it (and maintain it in excellent condition, please), and then I'll buy it from you in about 10-15 years when I can afford it.

Given Scott's comment about the pipeline... and whether we might like the styles available, down the pike somewhere...

How about I put in an order with you? I'll pick a boat, you buy it and use it (and maintain it in excellent condition, please), and then I'll buy it from you in about 10-15 years when I can afford it.

Sounds OK?

-Chris

Tell you how that works out...

Last week had a marine service company call about a boat that had sunk.

When the story played out...it was a nice boat that the marine services business agreed to give 3 years of free service, then the owner would sign the boat over to the company as barter.

They fixed up/maintained the boat for years, serviced it, dewinterized it and put it in the water a month early before their takeover. The owner was nice and said to use it even before he signed it over.

Well here it is a little more than a month before takeover and.....

You still want my boat when I'm done with it????

Similar to this....Sometimes the buy back from the rental fleet works out...sometimes it doesn't.

As the baby boomers age and die off there will be a ton of used boats of all kinds on the market. The one caveat is they will be old boats. But, a boat is mainly the hull and superstructure. Everything else on and in it is basically "off the shelf."

If they are sound an old fiberglass boat can be brought up to "modern" standards far less expensively than the overpriced, mostly ugly new boats that are being made today. For two or three hundred thousand dollars an old Grand Banks like the 1973 model that is the boat we keep in the PNW can be re-powered with new engines and transmissions, the interior can be completely redone, the hull cosmetically returned to new condition, and new electronics fitted. You end up with what in essence is a brand new boat that's good for another 40 or 50 years.

We seriously considered doing this to this particular boat but decided to put the money into a new custom build someplace else. But I think this fear of a drying up used boat market is totally unfounded. Our 2,000 boat marina is basically a big pond full of potential used boats, as every one of them will be someday. Fixing one up to like-new condition will be far cheaper (unless the boat is really a wreck) than buying a brand new boat with similar capabilities.

I know someone with an early-80s Nordic Tug 26 who's done exactly this. Bought the boat for a song, re-powered it, redid the interior and exterior and the end result is a boat that looks and runs like it just left the factory yesterday. And he spent far less than he would have had he bought one of new reintroduced Nordic Tug 26s.

As the baby boomers age and die off there will be a ton of used boats of all kinds on the market. The one caveat is they will be old boats. But, a boat is mainly the hull and superstructure. Everything else on and in it is basically "off the shelf."

If they are sound an old fiberglass boat can be brought up to "modern" standards far less expensively than the overpriced, mostly ugly new boats that are being made today. For two or three hundred thousand dollars an old Grand Banks like the 1973 model that is the boat we keep in the PNW can be re-powered with new engines and transmissions, the interior can be completely redone, the hull cosmetically returned to new condition, and new electronics fitted. You end up with what in essence is a brand new boat that's good for another 40 or 50 years.

We seriously considered doing this to this particular boat but decided to put the money into a new custom build someplace else. But I think this fear of a drying up used boat market is totally unfounded. Our 2,000 boat marina is basically a big pond full of potential used boats, as every one of them will be someday. Fixing one up to like-new condition will be far cheaper (unless the boat is really a wreck) than buying a brand new boat with similar capabilities.

I know someone with an early-80s Nordic Tug 26 who's done exactly this. Bought the boat for a song, re-powered it, redid the interior and exterior and the end result is a boat that looks and runs like it just left the factory yesterday. And he spent far less than he would have had he bought one of new reintroduced Nordic Tug 26s.

I do think your point carries a good bit of validity in that with fiberglass boats we're looking at a much longer usable life. However, many older boats don't survive. They could, should, but don't, largely due to neglect. There will be boats, but will they be what people want most? I don't know. I know right now there are certain voids in the market. As an example, a mid 90's, 70'-85' Sunseeker Manhattan or MY with a bridge. Plenty in Europe, but not in the US. Now, there's at least one model that I don't think any were imported into the US. The spot in the marketplace that middle aged Bayliner's filled will be much less filled by Meridian. Now, that will drive some to do as you discussed and rebuild an older one.

Perhaps we'll see more true rebuilds in the mid range. On larger boats, 80' and up, there are massive jobs done constantly. In many ways the logic is exactly the same. One takes a 150' boat in for a rebuild and spends 30% of the original cost. That doesn't mean you can't do the same for a 40'. The ratios are probably much the same.

I've always been the type who buys unusual cars, boats and houses which are a little bit different from the norm. I've never bought a new car/boat/house as I would hate to see another person with the same.
The present boat is a one of a kind; it doesn't fit in the trawler category; it isn't really accepted as a proper sailboat; and its too slow to be a real power boat - but its definitely MY boat.

My faster-than-hull-speed friends stay with me (while enjoying good fuel economy) in restricted waters until they get into open water when they pull ahead and get early in line for black-water pump outs at next port. Otherwise, usual practice is for me to leave a half hour or so before them.

As the baby boomers age and die off there will be a ton of used boats of all kinds on the market. The one caveat is they will be old boats. But, a boat is mainly the hull and superstructure. Everything else on and in it is basically "off the shelf."

If they are sound an old fiberglass boat can be brought up to "modern" standards far less expensively than the overpriced, mostly ugly new boats that are being made today. For two or three hundred thousand dollars an old Grand Banks like the 1973 model that is the boat we keep in the PNW can be re-powered with new engines and transmissions, the interior can be completely redone, the hull cosmetically returned to new condition, and new electronics fitted. You end up with what in essence is a brand new boat that's good for another 40 or 50 years.

We seriously considered doing this to this particular boat but decided to put the money into a new custom build someplace else. But I think this fear of a drying up used boat market is totally unfounded. Our 2,000 boat marina is basically a big pond full of potential used boats, as every one of them will be someday. Fixing one up to like-new condition will be far cheaper (unless the boat is really a wreck) than buying a brand new boat with similar capabilities.

I know someone with an early-80s Nordic Tug 26 who's done exactly this. Bought the boat for a song, re-powered it, redid the interior and exterior and the end result is a boat that looks and runs like it just left the factory yesterday. And he spent far less than he would have had he bought one of new reintroduced Nordic Tug 26s.

While my boat wasn't real old (13 yr) when I bought it, this is in essence what I am doing. I will have an almost new boat when I'm finished. Same concept though of buying a boat from a retiring boater for a great price, and then refitting it (to the way I want it) for a small fraction of a new boat price.

Ted

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